XK Roadster

[Henri]

Would a 20 year old say all the 50's cars look the same

I didn't say all...look at the Healey 100's, the Jag XK and the MGA...that's only 3 cars...and they have very similar looks...not exact...similar...

You could say that about 40's Ford's, Chevy's, Buick's, Dodge more similarity...then differences...

One thing you can count on us as people..."the more things change the more they stay the same"...

Copying is the most sincerest form of "flattery" there is...

 

[Bruce Bowker]

I guess I wasn't very clear in my meaning. I wasn't arguing with anyone.

I just wonder if a 16 year old who is really interetsed in getting a car would look at many of today's cars and see a real difference in many of the "sports" cars like I (we) can see a real difference in many of the sports cars from the 50's and 60's.

If I watch a vintage car race I can pretty much tell the make of almost all the "street" cars but if I watch a modern street car race I can't tell a single car's make unless it it has huge FORD letters on it or whatever.

I hear many people say cars look so much alike now and I more or less agree with the exception of some of the exotics. Just a thought.

 

[aeronca65t]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Bruce Bowker:
....I hear many people say cars look so much alike now....<hr></blockquote>

I agree 100%.
We have one of those cheesy little import-econoboxes and it looks exactly like my neighbor's car, even though they are completely different brands.
I think some of this modern "alikeness" came with the intoduction of the American Ford Taurus and it's "aero" styling (I call it the "jellybean look"...and I guess it was an attempt to copy the similar Euro-aero cars).
It's interesting that some of the cars that have tried to stand out have been flops (such as the Pontiac Aztek) and others have been pretty successful (Dodge trucks for example). I guess interesting styling can be a risk and many companies aren't willing to take that risk.
I think the new Chrysler 300 may be one of these big risks (I like its styling, although I would not buy such a big car).

Back to XK Jags....
I never liked them in photos, but I think they look much better in the flesh. The XK 120 is a beautiful car up close and the 140 / 150 are pretty nice.

 

[Bruce Bowker]

I think you had mentioned about the website for the Hershey Hillclimb photos. I looked at all of them and had a great time naming most of the cars. There were one or two I could not name but still if they were all cars from now I doubt I could name 10%. And that is what I would like to ask a young person if they could name the new cars like we can name the old ones.

I think your photo is from the hillclimb, right?

[ 04-25-2004: Message edited by: Bruce Bowker ]</p>

 

[Steve]

I read a really interesting article on automotive design a short while ago. You may be interested in a brief precis.....

The article dealt with the "look" of a sports car, its proportions and the use of curves in the design. The car credited with first having this look was William Lyons' XK120, but it also mentioned the BMW 507 as being "right" too. The Healey followed suit, as did the MGA.......you will notice that most of the cars we really admire in terms of design have that little "dip" at the rear of the door, with the rear wings sweeping back up in a gentle curve over the rear wings to taper down towards the rear bumper. It quoted the BMW Z3 as being similar in style, using the 507 as a styling cue.

Think of other cars that share similar traits. The Triumph Spitfire is often quoted as being a good-looking design, even "pretty", as is the MGA. Similar praise was not heaped on the MGB. The E-Type had it in spades, as did every Willian Lyons sedan in varying degrees, with the exception of the MkX/420G, which could never be called "pretty".

 

[Graham Lyons]

It's a bit sad, Steve, but I've got Jaguaritis so bad even the 420G had an attraction - the 420 however is dead ugly.
You mentioned the BMW 507 but I've seen an earlier BMW (I think) that was startlingly like the XK120. Even to the way the body work steps out just above the door handle. It would have been an astounding coincidence if Bill Lyons had not seen this car.
Graham

 

[Graham Lyons]

Found it! It was a 1940 BMW 328 Mille Miglia. In profile the cars are almost identical.

Graham

 

[Bruce Bowker]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Steve:
I read a really interesting article on automotive design a short while ago. You may be interested in a brief precis.....

The article dealt with the "look" of a sports car, its proportions and the use of curves in the design. The car credited with first having this look was William Lyons' XK120, but it also mentioned the BMW 507 as being "right" too. The Healey followed suit, as did the MGA.......you will notice that most of the cars we really admire in terms of design have that little "dip" at the rear of the door, with the rear wings sweeping back up in a gentle curve over the rear wings to taper down towards the rear bumper. It quoted the BMW Z3 as being similar in style, using the 507 as a styling cue.

Think of other cars that share similar traits. The Triumph Spitfire is often quoted as being a good-looking design, even "pretty", as is the MGA. Similar praise was not heaped on the MGB. The E-Type had it in spades, as did every Willian Lyons sedan in varying degrees, with the exception of the MkX/420G, which could never be called "pretty".<hr></blockquote>


Sounds like an interesting article.

 

[Steve]

It was, and I'm sure I still have it, because I never throw car magazines away......but I can't remember which one, or how long ago I read it. I will have to look for it, and give you a better "chunk" of it.

BMW 328 eh? 1940 though? In 1940 the Germans were concentrating on tanks. I'll look it up.

 

[Steve]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Graham Lyons:
Found it! It was a 1940 BMW 328 Mille Miglia. In profile the cars are almost identical.

Graham<hr></blockquote>

I found the car that you mentioned Graham.....introduced in 1936, the car won the 1940 Mille Miglia (I didn't know the race was even held that year.....the British entries must have been a little thin on the ground) and you are absolutely correct, the profile does have some similarities, and must have inspired William Lyons.

https://www.bmwworld.com/models/vintage/328.htm

 

[aeronca65t]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Bruce Bowker:

I think your photo is from the hillclimb, right?
<hr></blockquote>

Yes…the photo at the bottom of my messages is from the Hershey Vintage Hillclimb ’03.

More pictures of last years Hershey here:

https://www.kenbeard.com/hhc03/index.htm

Sadly, I will not be able make it this year: I’ve been sick and haven’t been able to get the car fully ready in time. Too bad, because I was hoping to run the car with my semi-replica “Super-Sprite” fenders (see my post under “Super Sprite” on the BCF Spridget list).

I will have everything ready by our first Pocono race on May 8, however.

If you are not sure about the cars listed in the hillclimb pictures, you can reference the 2003 Results page here:

https://www.svvscc.org/PDFS/2003%20HVH%20Results.pdf

Also.......The vintage BMW 328 is a great looking car. There is a company (in Switzerland, I think), that builds replicas using modern BMW running gear.

EDIT: It's by Sbarro....there's a picture of the replica 328 on this page (along with other Sbarro cars):

https://users.pandora.be/citrobe/picSbarro.htm#Sbarro540k

[ 04-26-2004: Message edited by: aeronca65t ]</p>

 

[Bruce Bowker]

Thanks for the links. Some great cars.

 

[UltimateQuestion]

Or to make it British, how about a BMW/Frazer Nash:

Built as RHD versions in the UK from German parts. After WWII Frazer Nash continued to produce cars based on the 328 Mille Miglia, and even "imported" the original desingner and updated the design. Then Bristol took the BMW 328 engine and used it until the 1950's.

[ 04-26-2004: Message edited by: UltimateQuestion ]</p>